The L.A. Times music blog

L.A. Unheard: Steffaloo’s homemade folk

April 17, 2012 | 1:49
pm

The band: Steffaloo, the one-woman project of L.A.’s Steph Thompson.

The sound: Steffaloo plays willowy bedroom folk with a multi-tracked edge. With last year’s self-released debut, “Meet Me in Montauk,” and the “On Fire” single, she showcased vocal harmonies and downcast, tape-hissing acoustic strumming that evoke Marissa Nadler and L.A.’s Warpaint. Feedback-edged B-side “The Red Runs Free” stretched her range, and judging by “I’m Sorry” and “If You Were My Baby,” a pair of fresher tracks, her upcoming sophomore effort will expand gently into keyboards and percussion without crowding out her hushed singing. “I'm hoping to incorporate a more full sound on this next one,” Thompson says. “Not quite as stripped-down as my first album, yet still [with] that raw homemade feel to it.”

The random: Thompson’s distinctive vocals have appeared on tracks by Chrome Sparks, Blackbird Blackbird and Teen Daze, among others.

The details: Steffaloo’s sophomore album is due this fall. She’ll join Thurlow and René Breton at the Bootleg Bar on April 21.

The music: Download “If You Were My Baby” below and hear more on Bandcamp.